Wave-motor



(No Model.)

C.. A. MERRITT. WAVE MoToR.

No. 526,082. Patented Sept. 18, 1894.

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UNITED STATES A' PATENT OEEICE.

CHARLES ANDREW MERRITT, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

WAVE-MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 526,082, datedSeptember I8, 1894.

Application tiled March 24, 1894. Serial No. 504.964. (No model.)

To all whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES ANDREW MER- RITT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Birmingham, in the county of, Jefferson and State ofAlabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWave-Motors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates -to improvements in that class of wave motors inwhich the water from the top of a wave is stored at the highest point ofthe wave as ahead to operate a turbine wheel, and the objects of myimprovements are, first, to provide a penstock or storage reservoir tobe constructed in or adjoining a wharf to receive the water from thetops of the waves the penstock having free ingress for the water througha series of valves, the valves closing on the inside to retain the waterwhen admitted; second, to provide a penstock of the above descriptionwith a turbine wheel to use as a motive power by which machinery can bedriven on the wharf or top of the penstock for hoisting and otherpurposes required in the vicinity of wharves;

- third, to provide a tail race from the wheel for the escape of thewater the race inclosed and extending at a right angle from the penstockand having a series of valves placed on the top side of the race openingoutwardly to permit the water to escape and prevent an inflow of waterfrom the outside. I attain these objects by the construction andarrangement of the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1,is a plan or top view of the penstock wheel and tailrace, a portion of the top of the penstock removed or left od. Fig. 2,is a vertical sectional view of the same through the center. Fig. 3, isan enlarged detail plan view of one of the valves. Fig. 4, is asectional view of the same through the center.

` Similarletters referto similar parts throughout the several views.

The penstock A is constructed by driving a series of piles B in theusual manner to form the frame of the penstock, the penstock can also beconstructed on any suitable solid foundation, or in any of thebreakwaters or wharves now in use to form harbors. A series of thepenstocks can be constructed adjoining to form a breakwater or wharf bythemselves. The frame B is planked on the inside with heavy planking C,the planking secured to the framing timbers in a strong and substantialmanner by any of the methods and means generally used for that purpose.A series of valves D is provided in the penstock. They are placed in thespaces between the frames and separated by suitable cross framing. Thevalves are made of a metallic backing E having a leather face F attachedwith rivets to the outer edge of the backing, the leather at one sideextending outside the backing at G, the extension being used to securethe valve to place and to form a hinge for the valve to open and close.In the drawings the valves are only shown on one side of the penstock,but when desired to expose three sides to the action of the wavesadditional valves can be provided as shown by dotted lines, or if thepenstock is built clear of a breakwater or wharf, all four sides asexposed can be provided with valves.

The turbine wheel H can be of any of the usual forms of turbines havinga vertical shaft I to communicate motion by any of the usual appliancesto the machinery intended to be operated by the device. In the drawingsthe connecting wheels or operating machinery is not shown, as no specialform is described, or invention claimed.

In the framing of the penstock under the wheel, a chamber J isconstructed, planked or inclosedon all sides to keep the outside waterfrom entering; the chamber J is provided with a tail race K extending inthe water to any desired distance; the tail race is secured to any formof rigid foundation, and the top of the tail race placed about even withthe top ot' the water when calm. The race is provided on the top sidewith a series of valves L opening on the outside to allow the Water fromthe race to escape. The valves are made in the same manner as describedto the penstock. They are attached to cover openings formed on the topof the race, and made to close by the advance of the waves in thedirection of the penstock.

It is obvious that the water M when agitated by the wind will riseagainst the outside of ICO the penstock in waves as shown and dashingagainst the valves D will open them to admit a portion of the water toenter the penstock. When the wave reeedes the closing of the Valves willretain the water at a higher head to operate the turbine than the wateron the outside, a portion of the Valves in the tail race bein g alwaysexposed in the trough of the waves will allow the Water from the race toescape, thereby operating the turbine with the head of Water maintainedin the penstock.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

In a wave motor, the combination of a penstock secured to a suitablefoundation at a lake or the seathe penstoek provided with a turbinewheel, a series of metallic valves faced with leather the valves securedto cross framingbetween the upright timbers of the zo penstoek, aninclosed tail race extending from an inolosed chamber under the wheel,the tailrace having a series of metallic valves faced with leatherplaced over openings in theupper side of the tail race, substantially z5 as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES ANDREW MERRITT. Witnesses:

S. L. WEAVER, J. W. TAYLOR.

